# St. James's Place (STJ.LSE)

Canonical: https://gigainvestors.com/s/STJ.LSE

Analysis as of: 2026-10-16T07:36:44.428Z. Financial observations: FY1996–FY2025.

Listing currency: GBX. Reporting currency: GBP.

## Verdict

Not a wonderful business

Quality tests for Buy: not passed (profit record: pass; earnings resilience is evidence only). Published buy qualification: no.

Share price: GBX 1,061.00 per share; close as of 2026-10-15.

Estimated value: low GBX 973.06 per share, central GBX 1,390.04 per share, high GBX 1,632.85 per share. Buy at or below the central value GBX 1,390.04 per share. Valuation as of 2026-10-16T07:36:44.428Z; scenarios are not confidence intervals.

Expected annual return: 12.1% at the stated quote. About 12.1% a year at today's price (required return 10.0%). required return 10.0% a year (10% floor; GB 10-year bond 5.4% + 4 points).

## Checklist

### understandable: pass

- 4 revenue declines in the last 10 years (informational)

- Financial history: 10 years

- Years with declining revenue: 4

- Years with a net loss: 1

- Operating margin variation: 0.21×

Chart: Operating margin; fiscal year observations.

- FY2016: 0.04×

- FY2017: 0.04×

- FY2019: 0.04×

- FY2020: 0.05×

- FY2021: 0.05×

- FY2023: 0.02×

- FY2024: 0.04×

- FY2025: 0.04×

### moat: fail

- Years with nonpositive invested capital use equity plus debt and leases; positive earnings with no positive capital are shown above 100%.

- ROIC worst years below threshold (more than 1 bad year allowed)

- ROIC, median of available years: 24.6%

- ROIC, second-lowest year: -495.6%

- Years with nonpositive capital: 8

- Capital spending / revenue: 0.1%

- ROIC including acquisitions, ten-year median: 12.8%

- Typical minus recent gross margin: 5.5 pp

Chart: ROIC excluding acquisitions; fiscal year observations.

- FY2016: 23.6%

- FY2017: 16.6%

- FY2018: -495.6%

- FY2019: 31.3%

- FY2020: 17.5%

- FY2021: 33.1%

- FY2022: -1159.8%

- FY2023: 25.6%

- FY2024: 35.2%

- FY2025: 50.5%

### economics: pass

- Owner earnings / net income, 5-yr: 1.00×

- Cash conversion uses consolidated totals: No

- Owner earnings, five-year total: GBP 1.6B

- Net income, five-year total: GBP 1.6B

- Return on incremental invested capital: 14.4%

- Working capital / revenue, annual change: -3.0 pp

- Working capital / revenue, final three-year average: -24.5%

Chart: Annual owner cash / profit; fiscal year observations.

- FY2021: 0.96×

- FY2022: 0.97×

- FY2023: 1.36×

- FY2024: 1.05×

- FY2025: 1.01×

### management: pass

- Historical market-dollar context (not the management verdict): 2016 to 2025 (9 years)

- potential debt-funded buybacks (informational)

- buybacks leaned toward cheaper years (informational)

- ROIC first 3 years vs last 3 years: 16.6% vs 35.2%

- Per-share earnings: 0.27 to 0.73 (three-year endpoint medians)

- Management verdict uses per-share economic progress: Yes

- Ordinary dilution, 10-year annual growth: 0.2%

- Ordinary dilution, 5-year annual growth: -0.2%

- Market cap gain: GBP 2.1B

- Cumulative retained earnings: GBP 376M

- Diluted shares, 10-year annual growth: 0.2%

- Diluted shares, 5-year annual growth: -0.2%

- $1 test, starting fiscal year: FY2016

- $1 test, ending fiscal year: FY2025

- Per-share value growth: 13.1%

- Per-share value change: GBP 0.46

- Per-share value, starting three-year median: GBP 0.27

- Per-share value, ending three-year median: GBP 0.73

- Buybacks concentrated in cheaper years (correlation): 0.37

- Average buyback yield: 0.6%

- Buyback history: 10 years

- Debt-funded buybacks: Yes

- Acquisition spending: GBP 60M

- Cumulative net income, 10 years: GBP 2.5B

- ROIC, first three-year median: 16.6%

- ROIC, last three-year median: 35.2%

Chart: Earnings per share; fiscal year observations.

- FY2016: GBP 0.21

- FY2017: GBP 0.27

- FY2018: GBP 0.32

- FY2019: GBP 0.28

- FY2020: GBP 0.49

- FY2021: GBP 0.52

- FY2022: GBP 0.74

- FY2023: GBP -0.02

- FY2024: GBP 0.73

- FY2025: GBP 0.99

### accounting: pass

- Sloan accruals: -0.2%

- Receivables to sales index (DSRI): 0.87×

- Restructuring years, last five: 0

- Stock compensation / operating cash flow: 1.9%

- Earnings backed by cash: Yes

- Operating cash / earnings: 2.01×

- Accounting red flags: 0

- Goodwill and intangibles / equity: 0.02×

Chart: Sloan accruals; fiscal year observations.

- FY2016: -2.8%

- FY2017: 0.1%

- FY2018: 0.4%

- FY2019: -0.2%

- FY2020: 0.3%

- FY2021: -0.7%

- FY2022: 1.0%

- FY2023: -0.0%

- FY2024: 0.5%

- FY2025: -0.2%

## Holders

## Price story

Down 37% since Dec 2021 · sales +16.1%

Story as of 2026-10-16T10:00:07.993Z; price observation 2026-10-15.

Price needs cash profits to grow 3.1% a year for ten years

### Sales · FY2024–2025

sales +16.1%; source https://filings.xbrl.org/213800M993ICXOMBCP87/2025-12-31/ESEF/GB/0/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31/reports/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31-T01.xhtml; observed 2026-03-18.

- FY2016: GBP 11B 

- FY2017: GBP 9.1B 

- FY2018: GBP -2.7B 

- FY2019: GBP 17B 

- FY2020: GBP 8.1B 

- FY2021: GBP 18B 

- FY2022: GBP -12B 

- FY2023: GBP 19B 

- FY2024: GBP 26B 

- FY2025: GBP 30B 

### Gross margin · FY2025

gross margin 12.8%; source https://filings.xbrl.org/213800M993ICXOMBCP87/2025-12-31/ESEF/GB/0/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31/reports/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31-T01.xhtml; observed 2026-03-18.

- FY2016: 15.1% 

- FY2017: 19.9% 

- FY2019: 14.6% 

- FY2020: 26.2% 

- FY2021: 15.4% 

- FY2023: 14.9% 

- FY2024: 12.6% 

- FY2025: 12.8% 

## Owner memo

Memo as of 2026-10-16T08:06:05.509Z.

### How it makes money

Operates in asset management; annual sales are GBP 30.2 billion.

- Source: https://filings.xbrl.org/213800M993ICXOMBCP87/2025-12-31/ESEF/GB/0/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31/reports/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31-T01.xhtml (filed 2026-03-18); FY2025: revenue 30162400000; grossProfit 3852000000; margin = grossProfit / revenue.

### Why customers stay

Margins ranged from 12.6% to 14.9% during 2023–25; it earns 24.6% on its capital.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2023: grossProfit / revenue = 14.9%.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2024: grossProfit / revenue = 12.6%.

- Source: https://filings.xbrl.org/213800M993ICXOMBCP87/2025-12-31/ESEF/GB/0/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31/reports/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31-T01.xhtml (filed 2026-03-18); FY2025: grossProfit / revenue = 12.8%.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); 10-year return on capital observations [[2016,0.23573269513991163],[2017,0.166055559704279],[2018,-4.9560841613091755],[2019,0.3133526011560694],[2020,0.17457797933988412],[2021,0.3312235280081131],[2022,-11.598276645462807],[2023,0.25597317379137313],[2024,0.35187918401771123],[2025,0.5048781216393834]]; median 0.24585293446564238. ROIC follows the displayed moat series; financial companies use return on tangible equity.

### Where the cash goes

Paid dividends in 10 of 10 years; bought back GBP 250.5 million of shares.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2016: growth capex 12000000; upkeep 7600000; owner earnings 112200000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.10695187165775401.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2017: growth capex 0; upkeep 8600000; owner earnings 145700000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2018: growth capex 0; upkeep 8600000; owner earnings 174600000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2019: growth capex 900000; upkeep 25300000; owner earnings 122880000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.00732421875.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2020: growth capex 0; upkeep 26800000; owner earnings 240160000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2021: growth capex 0; upkeep 22600000; owner earnings 275180000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2022: growth capex 0; upkeep 20100000; owner earnings 394380000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); FY2024: growth capex 0; upkeep 8700000; owner earnings 417260000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.

- Source: https://filings.xbrl.org/213800M993ICXOMBCP87/2025-12-31/ESEF/GB/0/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31/reports/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31-T01.xhtml (filed 2026-03-18); FY2025: growth capex 0; upkeep 1100000; owner earnings 538040000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); Dividend observations: [[2016,155200000],[2017,190000000],[2018,242700000],[2019,256000000],[2020,107100000],[2021,329900000],[2022,303600000],[2023,289600000],[2024,76600000],[2025,96300000]]. Zero only counted when supported by a complete cash-flow statement.

- Source: https://filings.xbrl.org/213800M993ICXOMBCP87/2025-12-31/ESEF/GB/0/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31/reports/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31-T01.xhtml (filed 2026-03-18); FY2025: cash repurchases 250500000 GBP.

### Are managers owners

Insiders own 1.9% of the company.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16); STJ.LSE SharesStats.PercentInsiders = 1.923 percentage points; cache date 2026-10-16.

### What the price says

The price assumes cash profits grow 3.1% yearly over ten years; actual growth was 10%.

- Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-03-18); Ten-year compound average after fade. Initial solved rate 0.03132555817971286. Price 1061; FX 100; discount 0.1; same standard ten-year fade to terminal 0.03. FY2015 owner earnings/share 0.38875119161105814 → FY2025 1.0066343120783394. Closing-price date 2026-10-15.

## Monthly share-price history (GBX per share)

- 2016-10: GBX 945.00 per share

- 2016-11: GBX 940.00 per share

- 2016-12: GBX 1,014.00 per share

- 2017-01: GBX 1,071.00 per share

- 2017-02: GBX 1,055.00 per share

- 2017-03: GBX 1,062.00 per share

- 2017-04: GBX 1,148.00 per share

- 2017-05: GBX 1,173.00 per share

- 2017-06: GBX 1,182.00 per share

- 2017-07: GBX 1,217.00 per share

- 2017-08: GBX 1,153.00 per share

- 2017-09: GBX 1,146.00 per share

- 2017-10: GBX 1,177.00 per share

- 2017-11: GBX 1,214.00 per share

- 2017-12: GBX 1,226.00 per share

- 2018-01: GBX 1,188.50 per share

- 2018-02: GBX 1,154.50 per share

- 2018-03: GBX 1,086.50 per share

- 2018-04: GBX 1,136.50 per share

- 2018-05: GBX 1,192.00 per share

- 2018-06: GBX 1,147.50 per share

- 2018-07: GBX 1,205.50 per share

- 2018-08: GBX 1,131.50 per share

- 2018-09: GBX 1,144.00 per share

- 2018-10: GBX 1,013.50 per share

- 2018-11: GBX 1,005.50 per share

- 2018-12: GBX 944.00 per share

- 2019-01: GBX 938.00 per share

- 2019-02: GBX 972.40 per share

- 2019-03: GBX 1,028.00 per share

- 2019-04: GBX 1,121.50 per share

- 2019-05: GBX 1,046.50 per share

- 2019-06: GBX 1,098.00 per share

- 2019-07: GBX 984.00 per share

- 2019-08: GBX 917.80 per share

- 2019-09: GBX 979.40 per share

- 2019-10: GBX 1,041.00 per share

- 2019-11: GBX 1,088.50 per share

- 2019-12: GBX 1,164.50 per share

- 2020-01: GBX 1,144.00 per share

- 2020-02: GBX 1,015.50 per share

- 2020-03: GBX 759.60 per share

- 2020-04: GBX 851.40 per share

- 2020-05: GBX 918.80 per share

- 2020-06: GBX 952.80 per share

- 2020-07: GBX 942.20 per share

- 2020-08: GBX 979.80 per share

- 2020-09: GBX 931.00 per share

- 2020-10: GBX 899.20 per share

- 2020-11: GBX 1,020.00 per share

- 2020-12: GBX 1,133.50 per share

- 2021-01: GBX 1,173.50 per share

- 2021-02: GBX 1,174.00 per share

- 2021-03: GBX 1,274.00 per share

- 2021-04: GBX 1,361.50 per share

- 2021-05: GBX 1,397.50 per share

- 2021-06: GBX 1,477.00 per share

- 2021-07: GBX 1,587.00 per share

- 2021-08: GBX 1,610.00 per share

- 2021-09: GBX 1,507.00 per share

- 2021-10: GBX 1,579.50 per share

- 2021-11: GBX 1,548.50 per share

- 2021-12: GBX 1,683.50 per share

- 2022-01: GBX 1,518.00 per share

- 2022-02: GBX 1,403.50 per share

- 2022-03: GBX 1,448.50 per share

- 2022-04: GBX 1,298.00 per share

- 2022-05: GBX 1,294.00 per share

- 2022-06: GBX 1,102.50 per share

- 2022-07: GBX 1,227.50 per share

- 2022-08: GBX 1,107.00 per share

- 2022-09: GBX 1,036.00 per share

- 2022-10: GBX 1,065.00 per share

- 2022-11: GBX 1,149.50 per share

- 2022-12: GBX 1,095.00 per share

- 2023-01: GBX 1,222.50 per share

- 2023-02: GBX 1,281.50 per share

- 2023-03: GBX 1,211.00 per share

- 2023-04: GBX 1,206.50 per share

- 2023-05: GBX 1,115.00 per share

- 2023-06: GBX 1,087.50 per share

- 2023-07: GBX 940.00 per share

- 2023-08: GBX 884.80 per share

- 2023-09: GBX 832.20 per share

- 2023-10: GBX 639.60 per share

- 2023-11: GBX 648.60 per share

- 2023-12: GBX 683.60 per share

- 2024-01: GBX 654.20 per share

- 2024-02: GBX 503.00 per share

- 2024-03: GBX 464.50 per share

- 2024-04: GBX 435.60 per share

- 2024-05: GBX 499.60 per share

- 2024-06: GBX 546.50 per share

- 2024-07: GBX 685.00 per share

- 2024-08: GBX 724.50 per share

- 2024-09: GBX 734.00 per share

- 2024-10: GBX 813.00 per share

- 2024-11: GBX 902.00 per share

- 2024-12: GBX 868.00 per share

- 2025-01: GBX 1,054.00 per share

- 2025-02: GBX 1,058.00 per share

- 2025-03: GBX 977.00 per share

- 2025-04: GBX 939.20 per share

- 2025-05: GBX 1,114.50 per share

- 2025-06: GBX 1,184.00 per share

- 2025-07: GBX 1,308.50 per share

- 2025-08: GBX 1,269.00 per share

- 2025-09: GBX 1,270.00 per share

- 2025-10: GBX 1,297.50 per share

- 2025-11: GBX 1,393.00 per share

- 2025-12: GBX 1,384.50 per share

- 2026-01: GBX 1,520.00 per share

- 2026-02: GBX 1,350.00 per share

- 2026-03: GBX 1,176.50 per share

- 2026-04: GBX 1,218.50 per share

- 2026-05: GBX 1,210.00 per share

- 2026-06: GBX 1,211.50 per share

- 2026-07: GBX 1,053.50 per share

- 2026-08: GBX 1,186.00 per share

- 2026-09: GBX 1,063.50 per share

- 2026-10: GBX 1,061.00 per share

## Annual estimated value (GBX per share)

- FY2016: low GBX 2,056.99 per share, central GBX 2,178.55 per share, high GBX 2,309.97 per share

- FY2017: low GBX 1,940.79 per share, central GBX 2,142.40 per share, high GBX 2,280.08 per share

Historical values use today's bond yield for every fiscal year

Historical values use today's FX rate into trading currency for every fiscal year

Historical values use current restated fundamentals and current commodity classification; they are not point-in-time estimates

Prior published observations retained from 2026-10-15T06:42:31.120Z where newer inputs omit a numeric field or fiscal period.

## Sources

[Original ESEF filing](https://filings.xbrl.org/213800M993ICXOMBCP87/2025-12-31/ESEF/GB/0/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31/reports/213800M993ICXOMBCP87-2025-12-31-T01.xhtml); period 2025-12-31, filed 2026-03-18.

Estimates depend on assumptions and are not guarantees or investment advice. Underlying data remains subject to its source licenses; public reading does not grant bulk redistribution rights.
← Companies

St. James's Place

STJ · LSE

FTSE 100 · STOXX Europe 600

Not a wonderful business

1 quality test fails. A lower price would not fix the business.

Share price
GBX 1,061.00
Buy up to
GBX 1,390.04
Expected / yr
12.1% at today's price (10.0% at central value)

The business

How it makes money
Why customers stay
Where the cash goes
Are managers owners
What the price says

1. Is this a good business?

Evidence only; not required for Buy

Margins varied 20.9% around their average (limit 35%), and 1 loss years were recorded (limit 2).

8y median
4.3%
Worst year
2.1%
Latest · 2025
4.3%

The second-worst year -495.6% (minimum 10%).

10y median
24.6%
Worst year
-1159.8%
Latest · 2025
50.5%

Each $1 of profit left $1.00 for owners over five years (minimum $0.80).

Five-year totals
1.00×
Annual median
1.01×
Latest · 2025
1.01×

Per-share value rose from 0.27 to 0.73, comparing three-year medians at each end (must rise and stay positive).

10y median
GBP 0.40
Worst year
GBP -0.02
Latest · 2025
GBP 0.99

Profits were backed by cash: accruals were -0.2% of assets (limit 10%).

10y median
0.0%
Worst year
1.0%
Latest · 2025
-0.2%

Profit record · pass 1 loss year in 10 (at most 2), mean operating margin 4.1%, three-year average owner earnings per share 0.58 GBP.

2. Is the price low enough?

Price & return math
Value rangeGBX 973.06 – GBX 1,632.85
Buy at or belowCentral value GBX 1,390.04
Discount to value1 − 1061.00 / 1390.04 = 23.7%
Return / yearAbout 12.1% a year at today's price (required return 10.0%)
Cash-flow inputsOwner cash GBX 71.57/share; 8.0% growth for 5 years, then fades to 3.0%; excess cash GBX 0.00/share today.
Required return10.0% / year, earned by construction at the central value
RevenueGBP 30B
30B-12B20162025
FY2016 · Revenue: GBP 11B; FY2017 · Revenue: GBP 9.1B; FY2018 · Revenue: GBP -2.7B; FY2019 · Revenue: GBP 17B; FY2020 · Revenue: GBP 8.1B; FY2021 · Revenue: GBP 18B; FY2022 · Revenue: GBP -12B; FY2023 · Revenue: GBP 19B; FY2024 · Revenue: GBP 26B; FY2025 · Revenue: GBP 30B
Revenue
Owner earningsGBP 538M
538M-14M20162025
FY2016 · Owner earnings: GBP 112M; FY2017 · Owner earnings: GBP 146M; FY2018 · Owner earnings: GBP 175M; FY2019 · Owner earnings: GBP 123M; FY2020 · Owner earnings: GBP 240M; FY2021 · Owner earnings: GBP 275M; FY2022 · Owner earnings: GBP 394M; FY2023 · Owner earnings: GBP -14M; FY2024 · Owner earnings: GBP 417M; FY2025 · Owner earnings: GBP 538M
Owner earnings
Operating margin4.3%
10.0%0.0%20162025
FY2016 · Operating margin: 4.3%; FY2017 · Operating margin: 3.8%; FY2019 · Operating margin: 4.3%; FY2020 · Operating margin: 5.3%; FY2021 · Operating margin: 4.7%; FY2023 · Operating margin: 2.1%; FY2024 · Operating margin: 4.0%; FY2025 · Operating margin: 4.3%
Operating margin
Net cash / debtGBP -214M
7.3B-214M20162025
FY2016 · Net cash / debt: GBP 7.2B; FY2017 · Net cash / debt: GBP 7.0B; FY2018 · Net cash / debt: GBP 6.6B; FY2019 · Net cash / debt: GBP 6.6B; FY2020 · Net cash / debt: GBP 6.2B; FY2021 · Net cash / debt: GBP 7.3B; FY2022 · Net cash / debt: GBP 6.2B; FY2023 · Net cash / debt: GBP -87M; FY2024 · Net cash / debt: GBP 5.0B; FY2025 · Net cash / debt: GBP -214M
Net cash / debt
Diluted shares534M
549M020162025
FY2016 · Diluted shares: 526M; FY2017 · Diluted shares: 535M; FY2018 · Diluted shares: 536M; FY2019 · Diluted shares: 532M; FY2020 · Diluted shares: 540M; FY2021 · Diluted shares: 548M; FY2022 · Diluted shares: 549M; FY2023 · Diluted shares: 545M; FY2024 · Diluted shares: 546M; FY2025 · Diluted shares: 534M
Diluted shares
Prices 15 Oct 2026 · FY2025Original filing ↗ ·